1. Part Two: A Discussion of the Stereotype Embodiment Theory by Levy Aging as a mindset: How we think of age may influence how we age Presented by: Jing Chen, PHD Department of Psychology Grand Valley State University

2. About Age Stereotypes: PositveNegativeNeutral accomplishmentachesassisted walking accumulated knowledgeacts like a "know it all"change in sexual appetite activeangrydevices adrenaline junkiesbad attituedexpirence adventurebad with technologyfunny advice giverbitterglasses altruisticbone lossglasses attentivebordemglasses bodies don't matterchange in eyesightglasses brightconfusedgray hair calmercrankygray hair care freecrankygrey hair care freecrippledgrey hair caringcynicalgrey hair caringcynicalgrey hair caringcynicalgrey hair cheerfuldecreased mobilityhard of hearing child likedecreased mobilityhas glasses cliques not importantdecrepidhearing aids close to after lifedependentlots of medication comfy clothesdepressingmoney considered cutedepressionno schedule curiousdepressivereflective cutedieasesretirement determineddimentiarole model elderly cutenessdimentiaset in their ways encouragingdisabledshort enjoy lifediseasessleep as long as you want entertainingdiseasesslow moving expirenceddon’t look as youngslower expirencedentitledslower expirencedforgetfulslower expirencedfragilesmell spicey expirencedfragilestagnant expirencedfrailstubborn expirencedgray hairtalks loud expirenced lifegray hairwealth family orientedgrey hairwhite hair free timegrey hairwrinkels free timegrey hairwrinkels free timegrey hairwrinkels free timegrey hairwrinkels frugalgrey hairwrinkels full of lifegrouchywrinkels fungrouchywrinkels fungrouchywrinkels generousgrouchy generousgrouchy get away with anyhtinggrumpy get to spend more time with familygrumpy givinggrumpy givinggrumpy good bakersgrumpy good cookshair loss good listenershard of hearing good story tellerhard of hearing grand kdishard to please grand kidshealth issues grand kidshearing aids grand kidshearing loss grand kidshelplessness grand kidshunched grandparentsill great adviceill great talkerillness grey hairimpatient happyinactive happyirritable happyirritable happyirritable healthlyirritable historicalirritable honorablejudge ill filterless active informativeless energy innocentlonliness interstinglose touch with people jollyloss of bladder control joyfulloss of hair kidsloss of hearing kindloss of senses kindloss of vision knowledgablemany friends begin to pass knowledgablemean knowledgemean less stressmedical issues life expirencememory loss looks don't mattermemory loss lovablememory loss medicarememory loss medicarememory loss memoriesmental fatigue more assistancemental loss more family tiesmore checkups more helpnastolgic more hobbiesnursing home more knowledgepains more leisure timepencling death more respectphysical aliments more timephysical aliments more time with grand kidsphysical body change napsphysical loss no obligationsphysical weakness patientpoor cognition patientpoor eyesight precious clothesprone to illness proudracist relaxationreceding gums respectsad respectableslow retiredslow retiredslow retiredslow retiredslow retirementslow retirementslow down retirementslow moving retirementslow moving retirementslow reaction time richslow-minded seasonedslower smartslower memory smilingslower memory snowyslower movement social securitysmelly social securitysmelly social securitysore story tellingstrange style story tellingstubborn story tellingstubborn stronger family tiesstubborn stronger family tiesstubborn sweatersstubborn sweetstubborn understanding of worldtechnologically challenged vacationtired well-traveledunmotivated wisdomvision/hearing loss wisdomvision/hearing loss wisdomvision/hearing loss wisdomvision/hearing loss wisdomweaker body wiseweaker body wiseweaker body wiseweaker body wisewhite hair wisewrinkeled wisewrinkels wisewrinkled wisewrinkled wisewrinkled wisewrinkled wisewrinkles wisewrinkles wisewrinkles wisewrinkles wisewrinkley wiserwrinkly wiserwrinkly wiserwrinles wisom How do GVSU students think about older adults? Surveyed the students who were taking an aging class (N=50): Positives adjectives: 161 words Negative adjectives: 160 words Neutral: 46 words

3. The Positives  Wisdom or wise (23 times)  Experienced (9 times) and knowledgeable (4 times),  Family-oriented (grand children),  Care free (cliques not important, comfy clothes, body does not matter, look does not matter),  Generous and caring French artist: Daumier – Always Joyful, 1864

4. The Negatives  Grumpy and irritable (23 times)  Stubborn  Slow (15 times)  Memory loss  Dementia  Frail and disabled  Illnesses  Hearing loss and poor eyesight  Strange style  Smelly  Technically challenged  Racist Picasso - The old guitarist, 1903

5. The Stereotype Embodiment Theory: A Psychosocial Approach to Aging Levy, 2009 Stereotypes are embodied Assimilated from the culture  Self-definitions  Influence cognitive and physical functions

6. There are four components in Levy’s theory (Levy, 2009): 1.Age stereotypes become internalized across the life span 2.It can operate unconsciously 3.It gains self-relevance 4.It utilizes multiple pathways

7. 1. Internalization of age stereotypes across the life span Levy, 2009  Children were exposed to age stereotypes through a variety of ways  Young adults more susceptible to negative age stereotypes because they are not directed to them and feel no need to defend them.

8. 2. Age stereotypes can operate subconsciously Levy, 2009 Levy, 1996 Pre- Memory Test Post- Memory Test Priming: Perception without Awareness

9. Levy, 1996 Negative age-related primes: Alzheimer's Decline Dependent Senile Misplaces Dementia Dying Forgets Confused Decrepit Incompetent Diseased Positive age-related primes: Guidance wise Alert Sage Accomplished Learned Improving Advise Creative Enlightened Insightful Astute

10. Levy, 1996 Immediate Recall

11. Levy, 1996 Immediate Recall

12. Hand-writing and age stereotypes – Levy, 2000  Hand-writing samples were collected before and after subliminal exposures to either positive or negative age stereotypes.  Hand-writing samples are judged on six attributes: accomplished, confident, deteriorating, senile, shaky, and wise.  Judges were able to distinguish what kind of stereotypes the writers were subjected to.

13. 3. Age stereotypes become self-relevant with time Levy, 2009  We all become “old” at some point of our lives.  Subjective onset of old age may make age stereotypes become self-relevant (Levy, Ashman, & Dror, 2000). We may not be prepared to resist the negative age stereotypes. Levy, Ashman, & Dror, 2000Levy, 1996

14. 4. Age stereotypes can influence us through psychological, behavioral, and physiological pathways Levy, 2009 The psychological pathway – Self fulfilling prophecies The behavioral pathway – Healthy practices The Physiological Pathway – Responses to Stress

15. The psychological pathway – Self fulfilling prophecies Levy & Leifheit-Limson, 2009 Subliminally present older adults with four different primes: 48 age-stereotype words: Positive-Cognitive: Sage, Alert Negative-Cognitive: Dementia, Confused Positive-Physical:Fit, Hardy Negative-Physical: Feeble, Shaky

16. Levy & Leifheit-Limson, 2009 Negative Positive

17. The behavioral pathway – Healthy practices Levy & Myers, 2004 The Ohio Longitudinal Study of Aging and Retirement: 1975-1998 N = 241 participants, Age 50 and older in 1975 Baseline measure of aging self-perceptions: 1.Things keep getter worse as I get older 2.I have as much pep as I did last year 3.As you get older, you are less useful 4.As I get older, things are as I thought they would be. Outcomes - Preventive health behavior: 1.Physical examines 2.Balanced diet 3.Weight control 4.Seatbelt use 5.Exercises 6.Alcohol consumption 7.Smoking 8.Follow medication directions

18. Self perception of Aging and Preventive Health Behaviors: Levy & Myers, 2004 Controlled for age, education, functional health, gender, race, and self-rated Health.

19. Levy, Hausdorff, Hencke, & Wei, 2000 After subliminally subjected to positive and negative age stereotypes The Physiological Pathway – Responses to Stress Systolic Blood PressureDiastolic Blood Pressure Skin Conductance

20. Mathematical Performance Mathematical Self-efficacy Levy, Hausdorff, Hencke, & Wei, 2000

21. Longevity and Self-Perceptions of Aging Levy, Martin, Slade, Kunkel, & Kasl, 2002  The Ohio Longitudinal Study of Aging and Retirement, 1975-98  Self-perceptions of aging measured up to 23 years earlier  People with more positive self-perceptions of aging lived 7.5 years longer  Covariates are controlled: age, gender, SES, and functional health

22. Attitude Toward Retirement and Longevity Lakra, Ng, & Levy, 2012  The Ohio Longitudinal Study of Aging and Retirement, 1975-98  Attitudes toward retirement measured up to 23 years earlier  People with more positive ATR at the start lived 4.9 years longer  Covariates are controlled: age, gender, marital status, race, employment status, SES, and functional health.

23.  The Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging  People who had more negative age stereotypes were more likely to experience first cardiovascular event in the next 38 years.  Covariates are controlled: age, depression, BMI, elevated blood pressure, family history of cardiovascular death, education, marital status, number of chronic conditions, race, self-rated health, serum total cholesterol, and smoking history. Negative Age-Stereotypes and the First Cardiovascular Event Levy, Zonderman, Martin, Slade, & Ferrucci, 2009

24. Self-Perception of Aging and Respiratory Mortality Levy & Myers, 2005  The Ohio Longitudinal Study of Aging and Retirement, 1975-98  Higher baseline positive self-perceptions of aging were significantly less likely to die of respiratory causes over the next 23 year.  Covariates are controlled: age, gender, marital status, functional health, SES, loneliness, and self-rated health.

25. Memory Decline and Negative Age-Stereotypes Levy, Zonderman, Martin, Slade, & Ferrucci, 2011  The Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging  Over 38 years, significant worse memory performance for people with more negative age stereotypes (30.2% greater decline). 70 years old: 3.14 years older 80 years old: 6.16 years older 90 years old: 9.18 years older  Covariates are controlled: age, depression, education, marital status, number of chronic conditions based on hospital records, race, self- rated health, and sex.

26. So far, evidence has shown that self-perceptions of age stereotypes are uniquely associated with cognitive and physical functions over time Negative age stereotypes may have profound detrimental effects on our physical health and cognitive functions. We have a lot of work to do to change the culture: Here is a Facebook study…..

27. Images of Older adults in Facebook: Levy, Chung, Bedford, & Navrazhina, 2014 Analyzed 84 Facebook sites that meet:  Have descriptions about individuals aged 60 years or old  Open membership  Not created for commercial purposes 84 groups, a total of 25,489 members The mean age of creators and members was 20-29 (all <60) Creators were identified as living on five continents: 51% from North America8% from Asia and 8% from Australia 32% from Europe1% from Africa All descriptions were in English 65% of the creators were men

28. Results of the Facebook study: Levy, Chung, Bedford, & Navrazhina, 2014 98.8% of the sites had negative age stereotypes: 74% - Excoriating the old Do not contribute to modern society at all Their single and only meaning is to nag 41% - Physical debilitation 27% - Cognitive debilitation 13% - Both physical and cognitive debilitations 37% - Advocated banning older individuals from public activities 26% - Infantilization of the old 10% - Nursing homes

29. But we got hope to change the culture! Here is a study on Intervention…

30. Levy, Pilver, Chung, & Slade, 2014  100 older adults: age range 61-99 and mean age = 81  Implicit positive age stereotypes were given weekly for 4 weeks  Age stereotypes, self-perception of aging, and physical functions were measured at baseline and 5-8 weeks.  Covariates are controlled: age, sex, and health.

31. Levy, Pilver, Chung, & Slade, 2014 Age Stereotypes

32. Self Perceptions of Aging Levy, Pilver, Chung, & Slade, 2014

33. Physical Functions: Strength, Gait, and Balance Levy, Pilver, Chung, & Slade, 2014

34. The implications: We are creating new images of older adults

35. But we may need something more subtle and subliminal Thank you Perhaps we should….